Lungs of COVID-19 affected patients: an autoptic morphological profile

• Main Authors: Giovanni Tuccari, Gaetano Caramori, Vittorio Cavallari, Guido Fadda, Antonio Ieni
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Accademia Peloritana dei Pericolanti 2020-12-01
• Series: Atti della Accademia Peloritana dei Pericolanti - Classe di Scienze Medico-Biologiche
• Subjects: coronavirus, autopsy, lung tissue, alveoli, endothelial cells, viral-like particles
• Online Access: https://cab.unime.it/journals/index.php/APMB/article/view/2909

Current knowledge concerning the recently occurred Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is largely based on human and laboratory reports, even if pathogenic mechanisms have been greatly elucidated by autoptic procedures. Consequently, the aim of this study is to describe macroscopic changes and histopathological findings documented in lung tissue of these patients. Moreover, the need of an optimised autopsy protocol and the application of ancillary techniques, such as immunohistochemistry (IlHC), in situ hybridization (ISH), PCR-based assay and electron microscopy, have to be recorded in order to assess the presence of COVID-19 virus-like particles in lung tissue, although the risk of autolytic changes as well the incorrect interpretation of artefacts should be cautiously considered.